US comedian George Carlin in rehab after "too much wine and Vicodin"

[goodboy]

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Famously foul-mouthed US comedian George Carlin said he was checking into a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center to counter the effects of "too much wine and Vicodin."

Photo
AFP/Getty Images/File Photo



The 67-year-old acid-witted funnyman said he was undergoing a detoxification treatment because of his use of alcohol and the powerful and addictive painkiller Vicodin.

"I'm going into rehab because I use too much wine and Vicodin," he said in a statement released by his publicist. "No one told me I needed this; I recognized the problem and took the step myself," he said.

But Carlin said that his use of the powerful painkiller is "nowhere near the worst you hear about these days.

"I could easily have continued functioning at a good level for a while. But my use would have progressed, I would have been in deeper trouble, and I didn't want to tolerate that," he said.

Carlin, who said he had never entered drug or alcohol rehab before, said he would not immediately return to his entertaining schedule when he gets out of rehab, saying he needed "a little time for myself."

[goodboy]

1. poor guy...hope he gets well soon.

[Megahurtz]

2. oooops!

[goodboy]

3. ooops what?

[Megahurtz]

14. ooops like

didn't the guy know the dangers of mixing? :party:

[goodboy]

16. ah...

I know...

makes my stomach upset if I drink on a vic.

[OnlyInAmerica]

4. Hmmm....

Didn't know there was such a thing as "too much"!

[jimfromthebronx10469]

5. finally...

its good to hear the truth about these celebs when they enter rehab. usually i hear they entered for some unknown substance abuse thanks george carlin for letting me know your kind of sins..booze and vikes:toast: :party: :crazy: :hangover: :loveya:

[uncle ray]

30. he's not like the rest of em.

[nytemare]

6. Surely one of the wittiest and funniest comedians ever!

Good for him, I hope his recovery goes well.

[Rowdyboy]

7. He's honest with himself

and us. I respect him tremendously and have no doubts he'll be fine.

[goodboy]

8. ditto...well said.

[alexisfree]

9. uh?

did he mention vicodin?...is the little white pill I being taking for many years?... ...:crazy:

[goodboy]

10. better than the 80 oxyContins rushie was taking every day, huh?

[Mika]

11. Rush was sharing Oxy with his moral friends

No one can take 80 a day and function at any level.

Some of his 'family values' pals were in on the action, to be sure.

[goodboy]

12. i agree...I remember something about him getting some from a friend

who'd broken his/her leg. Asking if he could get a few. What an ass.

[MKE Dem]

13. I also thought that

I am a big guy also (I blame living in WI it is cold and the brats are really good)

I always found it hard to believe that he was taking that many pills a day, that would have killed a 1,000 lb man. (if you discount Rush's ego and large amount of BS you get about 350lbs) Although it is kinda cool to think there is some huge right wing drug selling ring (not including The whole Central American thing in the 80's)

[goodboy]

15. welcome to DU

I can't wait until Rush is ripped off the radio, cuffed, and hauled off to prison. Not because he's an addict (that's a tough road for anyone to walk) but because he's a lying criminal.

[MnFats]

18. yep. he could build up SOME tolerance....

...but 80 pills a day would kill a clydesdale.....he was moving some of that stuff around, all right.
i say this as one who's been seriously injured in a couple of car accidents & has some experience with serious painkilling.


welcome...we can always use another DUer from Wis.

except the GODDAMN Packers suck!
and they NEVER should have gotten that field goal at the end of the first half....even the NFL admits it!!!
there. thanks for letting me blow off some steam.
welcome to du.

[goodboy]

19. After getting my heart broken several times as a steelers fan, I feel your

pain...but the steelers are goin' all the way this year.

[shamanstar]

36. whats so strange about right wing being hypocrites?

they sell and use illegal drugs while badmouthing people who sell and use illegal drugs.

[msanthrope]

39. Mika--It has always been my suspicion that Rush

got lots o' pills FOR lots o' people. A societal lubricant that got him invited to places.

[ally_sc]

32. i still can't imagine that volumn of oxycodin (rush)

he must have been taking some of an inferior maker or they made them to look like oxycodin and they were sugar tablets...maybe the maid was running a scam...lol! that is a STRONG narcotic.

[FDRrocks]

45. His tolerance was probably amazing....

I'm sure he was sharing them too.... hah.... imagine that: Rush Limbaugh sharing something.

[Catchawave]

28. Hopefully not with gallons of wine !

I think the problems start when you start mixing your chemicals:party:

[stumblnrose]

33. The problem starts when you're genetically predisposed

An addict will eventually bottom regardless of what he/she is using. Sure, red wine takes longer than red wine and pills but eventually a true addict will bottom.

[Psephos]

40. So true, but no one knows it until they go there n/t

[Gothmog]

17. I wish G. Carlin a speedy recovery

I wish Mr. Carlin a speedy and full recovery.

[maxsolomon]

20. another victim of wine addiction!

why can't harmless casual vicodin users lay off the bordeaux? its ruined so many lives!

[KingChicken]

21. If you must, then take speed...

Yeah sure it will give you a heart attack eventually, but the house will always be spotless and your productivity gains would be enough to afford drugs for everyone. Also you can eat as much as you want and won't gain weight, but you probably won't be hungry.

[FDRrocks]

51. My ex-girlfriend father used to be into speed....

Told me once that you can drink 2 cases of beer in a sitting on the shit. Problem is, he cut the speed, but not the amount of beer. Guy was a mess. He cleaned up, I started dating his daughter. 7 months later I walk into the backyard shed and find her father starting in a case of beer, I tell my girlfriend, and dump her.

2 months later he was arrested for attempted murder. He had removed a "For Sale" real-estate sign and tried to kill his whole family.

Speed is some crazy-ass shit, man.

[strobetoad]

22. Carlin was slipping

I've enjoyed George Carlin since the Ed Sullivan years, and think he's made valuable contibutions on many levels, but something has seemed amiss lately.

While performing in Las Vegas recently, Carlin gave out with what seemed to be an inappropriate, angry, and decidedly unfunny tirade; something the the effect that everybody who comes to Las Vegas is stupid.

I'm far from being a prude, but I feel that he'd begun using the famous "forbidden words" rather artlessly, beating the audience over the head with them. His subject matter seemed to be devolving toward the purely scatological.

I hate to see that happen, because he's pointed out so much hypocrisy and insanity in such an entertaining way. I wish him the best.

[Thurston Howell IV]

25. Maybe it wasn't the drugs

He's a misanthrope (not unlike Mark Twain) who, as he got older, did less editing on his "unacceptable" attitudes. Some people don't find disgust with humanity to be funny.

I haven't heard him in the last couple of years, but I know many people who don't find his most recent work (last decade or so) very funny because of the underlying anger.

I found some of his recent writings to be hilarious.

[Boswells_Johnson]

43. I prefer his newer material.

It's quite a bit darker, but he seems to have much more of a passion about what he's doing. He's perfected his bite:)

[FDRrocks]

47. Have you read his latest book?

Would you reccomend it? I'm usually completely down with all of Carlins stuff, but got the impression that he was over the hill, after seeing him in a couple of interviews.

[Boswells_Johnson]

57. Don't let those lame interviews fool you

All three of his books are hilarious. And sharp. I'd recommend them!

[Voltaire99]

55. Nice insight. Long live Carlin!

The misanthropic vein in the material seems deeper now. His tirade against religion on HBO this past year was mildly surprising for its venom; it silenced the audience, or did at least until the first titters loosened up general inhibitions. Black humor isn't a game, after all.

I find him no less incisive today. In fact, watching that show I felt for the first time, after years of watching, that I love George Carlin. He is a Swiftian satirist who, like Twain, cannot bear the stupidity of the herd, and when he aims his lash, by Jove, it means to flay. No better time for his rational thunder than now, as we sink into the primordial mud of fundamentalism.

Get well soon, George. This fucked-up age needs you.

[AgadorSparticus]

23. best wishes to Mr. Carlin for a full and speedy recovery.

[mikita]

24. This was sent to me ...

A friend passed this along as coming from George Carlin. I can believe it, although I can't swear to it. It seems a good read, with the best for last... Get well sson George!!


The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller
buildings but shorter tempers, wider
freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more,
but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have
bigger houses and smaller families, more
conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees
but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment,
more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but
less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too
recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get
too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read
too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our
values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate
too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.
We've added years to life not life to years. We've
been all the way to the moon and back, but have
trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've
done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We
write more, but learn less. We plan more, but
accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to
wait. We build more computers to hold more
information, to produce more copies than ever, but
we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow
digestion, big men and small character, steep
profits and shallow relationships. These are the
days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier
houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick
trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one
night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do
everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.


It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and
nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can
bring this letter to you, and a time when you can
choose either to share this insight, or to just hit
delete.

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones,
because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to
you in awe, because that little person soon will
grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you,
because that is the only treasure you can give with
your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and
your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and
an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep
inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for
someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time
to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we
take, but by the moments that take our breath away.



If you don't send this to at least 8 people....who cares?


George Carlin

[teach1st]

27. Not by Carlin

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/paradox.asp

Many of the points in that e-mail have been addressed here at DU previously.

Edited to give the correct link.

[Catchawave]

29. Thanks for sharing !

His new book is a must read too. A very funny "When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops".

[FDRrocks]

48. Not by Carlin

The reference to praying too little gives it away. As well as addressing the soul.

[Bouncy Ball]

26. Good for him.

I have nothing but respect for people who can recognize they need help and who seek it out.

That kind of self-honesty will do him well in rehab. It's a crucial component for recovery.

[Just Me]

31. Goodness. I'm glad he's getting help.

Mixing Vicodin with wine,...yikes!!!

I couldn't even take Vicodin because it messed with my head so bad. I can't imagine the effects of mixing it with alcohol,...scary.

I hope he gets his system clean and returns to his whole, talented self,...soon!!! Carlin is one of my favorite stand-ups!!!

Best Wishes, George.

[d_b]

34. I've been hammered on pills and booze since November 3rd

We're with ya George!

[InvisibleBallots]

35. greatest comedian in history

bar none

[FDRrocks]

50. Richard Pryor....

I like Carlin better, but Pryor is NARROWLY behind. Really close.

[tblue37]

52. Stephen Wright:

great comedian, but perhaps too spacey and mellow to appeal to some. I think he is as good as Carlin--just different.

[tinanator]

60. nope

Bill Hicks RIP

[Merlin]

37. Maybe he'll have a word with the man upstairs.

"There's an invisible man who lives in the sky. And he need money. Lots and lots of money."
-- George Carlin

[MADem]

38. A sincere question from someone who has no clue!!!

OK, I understand the addiction to wine, beer, booze...I can understand that because I have seen it. I've known potheads, I have known a person who had a problem with cocaine...but I don't know if I have ever known anyone who has had a vicodin problem. Someone tell me---it has GOT to be a powerful addiction, if people are mugging old ladies to steal it. Clearly, people can continue to function on it, not like some other substances. It can't be obvious...how do you KNOW? How can you tell?

I do love George Carlin...he speaks his truth, and even when I don't agree, I love how he does it. I hope he gets back on track soon.

[Psephos]

42. Vicodin is a chemical cousin to morphine, codeine, etc.

It's stronger than codeine, but not as strong as morphine or heroin. Its technical name is hydrocodone. If it is taken in the absence of pain (in other words, abused), the brain develops tolerance to it rather quickly. The dose must be scaled upward to keep getting the buzz. The addiction can become powerful, and increasingly focuses thoughts and actions toward getting more drug.

Mixing booze and Vikes alleviates some of the need for increasing doses, as the desired end state is not the rarified total bliss of a deep opiate buzz, but instead, the numbed-out but pleasant zone of who-gives-a-shit. Carlin most likely was into this. It's a classic "self-medication" approach to depression.

Vicodin tablets are a mixture of hydrocodone and acetaminophen (Tylenol). Acetaminophen in high doses is toxic to the liver, and upsetting to the stomach. The acetaminophen also inhibits snorting crushed pills. Many serious Vicodin freaks turn to Oxycontin, which doesn't have this problem. The active ingredient in Oxycontin (oxycodone) is somewhat stronger than hydrocodone, but the real attraction is that the pills can be crushed and snorted for a major rush.

In most cases, serious Oxy addicts become little more than Oxy-seeking machines. They fuck up the lives those around them first, and then when everyone has been driven away, they finish the job on themselves.

Trust me, even if Carlin was "only" on Vikes, he still fucked something up pretty bad (had his "bottom") to seek this treatment. If there's one defining characteristic of addicts, it's that every one of them thinks they are in control of the drug, when it's the drug that's in control of them. It takes a major confrontation with reality to scare an addict into seeking treatment.

[FDRrocks]

46. I used to...

snort Vics in high school. What kind of damage was I doing to myself, other than the obvious?

I also abused cough syrup with Acetaminophen, I'm guessing that didn't help anything.

[shanti]

44. i once knew

someone who was hooked on vike. she would get migraines, so the doc would hook her up. problem was..she needed more and more for her 'pain' (not to take migraines lightly at all).

i believe it often starts with a legitimate purpose and goes on from there.

[FDRrocks]

49. I think it's really the Doctors fault....

My doctor never asks me about changes in my eating habits, excersize, stress levels, etc... when I go to see her with medical problems. She just prescribes me medicine, if she doesn't give me a sample from her closet. She authorizes her receptionist to give out medical excuses, so at any moment I want to miss a class or work I can just call them. I think it's irresponsible.

In my experience, going to most doctors, nowadays, is like going to a Pharmaceutical representative.

[BiggJawn]

41. "Powerful" painkiller Vicodin?

This is the same worthless shit I used to get from the oral surgeon after getting a tooth pulled, right?

Aspirin gave me more of a numb. When I had my wisdom teeth out, they gave me Darvon. Now THAT is a "powerful" painkiller.

Vicodins affect me about as much as an Altoid.

George will be OK, but I wonder if this has anything to do with his recent "rant" onstage in Las Vegas?

[tblue37]

53. People respond to drugs in different ways.

there is a whole field of research called genetic pharmacology, based on the reality that only about half of the population will benefit from any given drug, because of genetic differences. That's why a doctor often has to run through several different drugs of a given class in order to find one that works for a patient. I had that experience with blood pressure drugs--we tried several before finding one that actually controlled my BP.

I take 1/2 of a hydrocodone pill most nights because the pain from arthritis in my neck prevents me from getting to sleep. I also drink a carefully measured out 3 oz. of wine per day (when I remember to), because it seems to help control my blood pressure.

But I am not an addictive personality, so I have no trouble with either.

Hydrocodone and wine both make me sleepy. I need to be awake during the day and evening, and I need my brain to be 100% functional. Because of that, I seldom even drink all 3 oz. of wine at the same time. It's not that I don't like wine, but that I don't want to be sleepy when I need to be awake. So I usually try to drink one oz. at a time, with food, over the course of the day. (It really does seem to help my BP, so I keep doing it, even though it can get inconvenient. Also, if I have to have that many calories, I would prefer pasta. That's why I have never been much inetrested in alcohol generally.)

Sometimes I don't remember to drink my wine before I go to bed, and on those occasions, I take my 1/2 hydrocodone pill with my wine, and I don't worry about it in the least. I know I won't take more than the 1/2 pill or the 3 oz. of wine, and that I won't be tempted to start deliberately putting them together for a "buzz." (Sometimes, if I am tired enough to go to sleep without noticing the neck pain, I don't even bother with the pill.)

My point is that meds affect different people differently. Also, some people can use something like hydrocodone over a long period of time without becoming addicted--whereas some can't use it at all without risking addiction. Same with alcohol.

Sometimes, during the busiest parts of my semester (I teach college English), I conk out at night regularly without bothering with my 1/2 pill. But when I can't get to sleep at all because of the neck pain, I can't afford to lie there for hours, since I often only have a few hours when I can sleep, and if I don't sleep during that time, I won't get to sleep at all.

I guess I have never understood the appeal of being "out" of one's mind. I love being "in" my brain and having it function sharply. I can't imagine wanting to dull it. I feel terribly sorry for people who suffer from addiction, and seeing the way so many have ruined their lives, I am just grateful that I don't feel that sort of temptation.

[Baclava]

54. I wish...

I wish I could afford a drug habit...

[hollowdweller]

56. Has anyone ever received the right wing spam e mail attributed to Carlin??

This one:

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/b/badamerican.htm

[goodboy]

61. yep...it was posted in this thread somewhere...

edit: see post 24

[truthisfreedom]

58. interesting approach, George. maybe this will help some of the other

people who have been lured into pharmeceutical addiction by spam emails promising "privacy" and "no doctor."

[tiredofthisstuff]

59. A childhood hero of mine remains a hero.

I can vividly remember my brothers and myself sneaking into the TV room at 2 and 3 in the morning to watch Carlin on HBO. In a lot of ways this man has been a driving force in my perception of the world. He, along with my parents helped me look at the world with a watchful eye and to not take things so seriously.

His recent admittance of his problems and pure middle finger he is shooting at himself reminds me of how great this man is. I wish him well and hope he leaves rehab feeling like he always does. "A World Class Smart ass" :yourock: